About $ 4.4 billion will be spent on infrastructure development for several housing areas on the East Coast of Demerara, where lands have already been earmarked.
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal made this disclosure yesterday during an outreach to Annandale, Demerara East Coast.
Last year, many houses were allocated in Strathspey, Bladen Hall, Vigilance, Annandale Plantation, La Bonne Intention, and Cummings Lodge.
“Those are the areas where we are developing the infrastructure work now, to ensure that those individuals allocated for those areas can access and start construction. The intention is that we will spend $ 4.4 billion on infrastructure work only for those East Coast communities for which we have allocated for housing lots.
“Construction for those areas we have made allocations has already begun, and by the last half of this year, all that infrastructure work will be completed and you will be able to have a developed area where you can do your building for her, The Department of Public Information is quoted as saying.
The works, which fall under the Ministry’s 2021 work program, include the construction of roads and drainage channels and access to water and electricity.
“When we give you communities, we want to give you whole communities, so you don’t have an excuse why you can’t access your facility,” Croal noted.
He added that the Government is committed to clearing the backlog of housing lot applications in the system, and is looking to acquire more land for development.
This stated, it would be done with the assistance of President Dr Irfaan Ali, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Guyana Sugar Corporation, and National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited.
The PPP / C Administration has pledged to allocate 50,000 housing lots over five years, as outlined in its manifesto.
To date, through the President’s Dream Realized initiative, over 3,600 housing lots have been distributed within the span of over four months across three regions.
In the 2020 Emergency Budget, the Government implemented several measures to make home ownership affordable for all. This includes reversing the value added tax on building materials, to make construction homes more affordable. The Government also increased the mortgage interest relief ceiling from $ 15 million to $ 30 million.
Also present at the meeting were representatives of Guyana Water Incorporated and the Ministry’s Community Relations Department, which deals with trespass and squatting issues.
The Government maintains a nationwide outlook to ensure its ongoing engagement with residents and communities.
